


The Descendants Collective

by The No-Name System (shnuffeluv)



Category: The Two Princes (Podcast)
Genre: Arguing, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multiplicity/Plurality, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Slash, Swearing, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:02:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26382334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shnuffeluv/pseuds/The%20No-Name%20System
Summary: Lavinia had warned Amir about this in a roundabout way. He thought she was exaggerating, but truth proves to be stranger than fiction.
Relationships: Amir/Rupert (Two Princes Podcast)
Comments: 34
Kudos: 34





	1. Meeting Issac

Amir didn’t know what exactly to expect when Rupert’s mother pulled him aside after he and Rupert had gotten together and warned him that sometimes Rupert would stare off into space before acting strange. He didn’t even know why she told him this. After all, Rupert surely would have told him if anything were amiss, wouldn’t he? Unless he had no clue, but how would he  _ not _ know he acted off or stared into space caught up in thought for too long? Surely, he had to know something was amiss. And he hadn’t told Amir anything, so Amir assumed Rupert’s mother had been overreacting.

But today he thought she might have been right. Amir and Rupert were just hanging out in their apartment, Rupert talking about classes and Amir talking about their friends, when Rupert got a distant look in his eyes, struggling to respond before he stopped acknowledging Amir altogether. Amir had been waiting for him to respond for two minutes, now, and he was starting to get concerned. “Rupert?” he asked, lightly touching Rupert’s ankle.

Rupert stiffened and jerked away like he had been shocked, blinking rapidly for a few seconds before looking Amir up and down and shrinking into the couch a little bit, just enough to be noticeable. “Rupert? You okay, man?” Amir asked.

“Yeah, fine,” Rupert said, shaking his head roughly.

But Amir knew Rupert. His voice didn’t go soft like it was unless he was really scared, like a life-or-death situation scared. Even when they had gone spelunking and gotten lost for a good hour, Rupert was louder, and almost whiny, albeit the type of whining he did when he was upset that he was about to have a panic attack. This...this was a different type of scared. One that Amir had no idea how to fix. “What’s wrong, honey?” Amir asked.

Rupert looked shocked, just for a brief second, before his walls came up and his face was more or less impassive. He was forcing his body to relax, too, so Amir couldn’t get a read that way. “Just don’t feel great, I guess,” Rupert said, shrugging. “Might rest for a bit, if you don’t mind.”

“You know you never have to ask me if you need to rest,” Amir said, frowning slightly. “Go ahead and lie down in our bedroom, honey, I don’t mind.”

That seemed to make Rupert antsier, but after a moment of hesitation he got up and walked to the bedroom. Which meant Amir could investigate. He pulled out his phone and texted their friends’ group chat.  _ Did anything happen with Rupert today, you guys? _

_ I don’t think so, _ Joan replied almost instantly.  _ He okay? _

Amir hesitated before replying,  _ That’s what I’m trying to find out _

Everyone talked about whatever capacity they had seen Rupert in, which wasn’t a lot. Everyone except Cecily said something, and Amir didn’t fail to notice that she read the messages but hadn’t replied.  _ Cecily? What about you? _

_ Rupert seemed fine to me _ she texted.  _ But if you don’t mind, I could come over and see if he’ll talk to me? _

Cecily and Rupert had been acquaintances for years, and friends for almost as long. If anyone knew how to get Rupert to talk, it would be Cecily.  _ Sure _ Amir said.

Less than fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at the apartment door. Amir opened it and Cecily smiled at him, but her posture screamed all business. “Cecily, what’s going on with Rupert?” Amir asked. “You seem like you know something, or suspect something.”

“I do suspect something,” Cecily allowed. “But it’s not my place to tell you.”

She walked in the apartment and Amir closed the door behind her. She walked straight to their bedroom and knocked on the door. “Hey, Rupert? It’s Cecily. Can I come in?”

Amir couldn’t hear any confirmation or denial, but Cecily waited, before her eyes lit up and she opened the door after half a minute. Amir caught Rupert sitting on the ground, legs splayed with his dragon figurines in his hands, before Cecily stood in front of Amir. “I’d prefer to talk to Rupert alone, if you don’t mind.”

“But—” Amir stopped himself. He wanted to protest, to know what was wrong with Rupert, but if Rupert wouldn’t tell him alone, what would make him say anything just because Cecily was there? “Okay. Just—please tell me if he’s okay?”

“Of course,” Cecily said, putting a hand on Amir’s shoulder. “Give me ten, okay?”

Amir nodded, and Cecily went into the room, closing the door. He could have sworn that Rupert said something along the lines of “Auntie Cici” which only concerned Amir more.

He wound up pacing for the ten minutes Cecily asked for. Ten became fifteen, which became twenty. Amir was ready to bust the door down when Cecily finally opened the door. “Hey, Amir. Rupert’s okay, but all three of us need to have a talk.”

“Okay,” Amir said, letting himself be led into the bedroom.

The dragon figurines were back in their spot on the bookshelf, and Rupert was sitting on the bed, head buried in a pillow he was squishing in his lap. “Rupert,” Cecily said softly. “I’ve got Amir.”

Rupert groaned. “I’m...I’m not gonna be out long enough,” he managed, sounding like he was gritting his teeth. “Issac is...persistent.”

“I know, honey, but he said he couldn’t explain and that you wanted to do it,” Cecily said. “Can you please try?”

Rupert groaned into the pillow again. Amir took a step forward, then another, and Rupert weakly looked up, and Amir could tell that Rupert was experiencing some sort of ailment along the lines of a migraine. He reached a hand out but Rupert flinched away. Amir retreated like he had been burned. “Sorry,” Rupert said. “That’s...it’s...not me...away...”

“What do you mean, it’s not me?” Amir asked.

“I thought as a psych major you’d be able to figure it out,” Rupert choked on a laugh. “But you haven’t connected the dots yet, and I can’t...I can’t get the words to work.”

“Are you okay?” Amir asked.

Rupert choked on a laugh. “Oh, I wish,” he practically sobbed.

“Honey, I want to help. But I can’t unless you tell me what’s going on,” Amir begged.

Rupert nodded. “I know...oh god...Issac, please, stop...just for a minute, buddy...”

“Who are you talking to, Rupert?” Amir asked. “There’s only me and Cecily here.”

“That’s...not quite true...” Rupert managed to choke out miserably. “I have...I have...goddammit, Issac, just  _ stop!” _

“Rupert,” Cecily cut in. “He’s scared. You can’t blame him.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not annoying as  _ hell!” _ Rupert exclaimed.

“What’s going on?!” Amir asked, impatience starting to show.

Rupert flinched and Amir couldn’t help it, he growled. “Maybe I should come back later, when everyone’s willing to tell me what the hell is going on?!”

“I have Dissociative Identity Disorder!” Rupert exclaimed, eyes screwed shut tight as a few tears leaked out.

Amir stared at Rupert in shock, but Rupert was just shaking as he curled in on the pillow. Cecily sighed from behind Amir. “Amir, I thought you were supposed to be the level-headed one in this relationship,” she sighed. “Issac? It’s okay, honey, Amir’s just frustrated. He’s not mad at you.”

And, to Amir’s shock, Rupert lifted his head and looked at Cecily like she could save them from this entire situation. “P...promise?” he asked, in an impossibly soft voice.

“I promise, Issac. Do you want to go back to playing?” Cecily asked.

Rupert nodded, but looked at Amir and hesitated. “It’s okay,” Amir said, feeling completely lost but knowing he had to tread carefully. “I don’t mind if you play.”

And then Rupert did something he hadn’t done around Amir in ages. He flashed a genuine grin and clambored off the bed, grabbing the dragon figurines and putting them all on the floor, grabbing two and mumbling narration. Cecily sighed. “Good to know you’re not  _ entirely _ hopeless,” she said in a false-cheery tone. “Sit on the bed, we’ll talk.”

Amir did so and Cecily collapsed next to him with a sigh. “So...you know what DID is?” Cecily asked.

“Yeah, we learned about it in psych class a little while ago,” Amir said. “Rupert...has it?”

Cecily nodded. “Has for as long as I’ve been his friend. I used to play with Issac when we were little. Rupert and I grew up, Issac didn’t. When he realized I was getting older he started calling me ‘Auntie Cici’ because ‘calling you Miss Cecily would be weird, but Daddy says I have to be respectful.’”

“I thought Rupert’s dad was in prison?” Amir asked.

Rupert stilled on the ground. Cecily sighed. “He is. And try not to mention it around Issac.”

“But why?” Amir asked. “That’s what happened, right? He got charged for—” he was cut off as Cecily clapped a hand over his mouth.

“Whatever Rupert told you he was charged for, I guarantee you it wasn’t the truth,” Cecily said.

“Do you know the truth?” Amir asked.

“I was just becoming Rupert’s friend when the case went to court,” Cecily said. “So yes. But it’s not my place to tell you. Nor is it anyone’s but Rupert’s.”

Rupert whimpered and Cecily turned back to him. “You okay, Issac?”

“Stomach’s sicky,” Rupert said, eyes glassy.

“Yeah, I thought so,” Cecily said. “Would you like me to talk to Amir in a different room?”

Rupert looked at Amir with fear in his eyes. “I want him to go away.”

Amir reeled backwards in shock. Cecily sighed. “I can’t do that, Issac, he lives with you. I can get him out of the room, but he has just as much right to be here as you do.”

The tears started to fall and Rupert shook his head. “No, no, please. Please!”

“Issac...” Cecily started, but she never finished.

“He brought up the bad man! He’s not s’posed to! Those are the rules!” Rupert exclaimed.

“He doesn’t know the rules, honey, Rupert never told him,” Cecily patiently explained.

“Well then Rupert doesn’t trust him!” Rupert shouted. “And if he doesn’t trust him then I won’t either!”

Amir’s heart felt like it shattered in that moment. His eyes stung and without a word, he got up and walked out of the room. “Oh, god,” Cecily muttered. “Amir! Hang on!”

“Rupert wants me gone, then I’ll leave,” Amir said, grabbing his coat and throwing it on.

“Amir, that’s not Rupert, it’s Issac. He doesn’t trust easy, and you scared him. It only makes sense he’d want to be alone for a bit! You can’t just leave!” Cecily begged.

“He trusts  _ you,” _ Amir spat. “I need some time to think. Help yourself to any food in the kitchen. If you want to be paid for babysitting we can talk when I’m back.”

“Amir, please—”

But Amir was out the door and he slammed it shut. Armed with his phone and his wallet, he walked out of the apartment complex and just kept walking. He didn’t have a destination in mind, all he knew was that he couldn’t stay home.

The day was cloudy and cold, and Amir growled when snow started to fall from the sky. Just great. The day he got kicked out of  _ his own apartment, _ it started snowing.

He walked and walked, and before he knew it, he was at the bridge in the park where he and Rupert had started dating. Amir sat down against the stone wall of the bridge and checked his phone with fingers that were quickly going numb. Five missed calls from Cecily. Ten from Rupert. And a slew of texts from both of them, first from Cecily, but then around six Rupert started texting and refused to stop. When he got another call from Rupert he growled and declined it, hoping that Rupert would get the message.

He didn’t. If anything, that made Rupert call more and more insistently. Amir denied six calls, one after the other, but when his tears were turning to ice on his cheeks and he couldn’t feel his fingers anymore, he finally answered one. Before Rupert could say anything, Amir shouted, “Leave me the  _ fuck _ alone!”

“Woah, there, tiger,” Joan’s voice said from the other end of the line. “I don’t know  _ what _ happened to make you this mad, but uh...Rupert’s pretty worried about you and says he hasn’t seen you in two hours. Mind going back to your place to reassure him?”

“Yes,” Amir growled.

“...Okayyyy. Mind coming over to mine so I can tell him you’re at least not dying of hypothermia?” Joan asked.

Amir sighed. “Fine. See you in ten.”

He hung up and walked to Joan’s, shivering the whole way. Joan opened the door before he even knocked. She looked him up and down. “Boy, you  _ are _ a mess.”

“Thanks for pointing it out,” Amir snarked.

Joan let him in and Amir groaned, rubbing his hands.

“So, why’d you leave the apartment?” Joan asked.

“Rupert wanted me gone,” Amir replied simply.

Joan blinked. “Really?” she asked.

“Yes,” Amir growled. “Really.”

“That’s not what he told me when he texted. What happened?” Joan asked.

Amir laughed hollowly. “I’m wondering the same thing. I tried to say that Rupert’s dad was in prison for murder, and next thing I know, Rupert wants me gone. He made up some BS about how he has one of the rarest psychological conditions I know about, and Cecily kept calling him Issac, and insisting that it wasn’t Rupert who wanted me gone.”

Joan was as pale as a ghost when she heard Amir say that. “Oh, god, I thought he told you already!” she exclaimed.

Amir scoffed. “He convinced you of it, too?”

“Amir, Rupert’s not joking,” Joan said, grabbing Amir’s shoulders. “He really has a dissociative disorder.”

“How would  _ you _ know?” Amir scoffed.

Joan was deathly serious as she said, “Because I caught one of his alters trying to hurt their body, and the next day he had no recollection of what had happened or why he was suddenly in the hospital.”

Amir frowned. “That was before I met him.”

“High school,” Joan explained. “That’s when he got the diagnosis. Cecily and I kept pushing him to tell you when you met, trying to make sure that you knew before you started dating. Eventually he snapped at us that he would tell you over the long weekend coming up. And Cecily and I believed him. Or at least, I believed him. Cecily always suspected he chickened out.”

“Does everyone know but me, then?” Amir asked sourly. “Has he convinced everyone in our friend group but me that he has this?”

“What? No,” Joan said. “Amir, Cecily only knows because she grew up with Rupert. I only know because I demanded an explanation after he got out of the hospital as to why he didn’t remember anything. No one else in our friend group knows. He only tells people he trusts with his life.”

“Funny way of saying he trusts me with his life, kicking me out of my own apartment,” Amir said, crossing his arms.

“Oh my god, you’re so dense!” Joan explained. “You said Cecily called him Issac?”

“Yeah,” Amir said.

“Issac’s the kid, Amir. He’s not even four,” Joan said. “He fears virtually everyone and everything he doesn’t know. If you brought up Rupert’s dad, of  _ course _ he isn’t going to like you! His dad triggers Issac to hell and back!”

Amir blinked. “You genuinely believe Rupert?”

“Why wouldn’t you?” Joan asked.

Amir shook his head. “It’s ridiculously rare, Joan!”

“Dissociative disorders are as common as asexuality, redheads, and schizophrenia,” Joan informed him. “Dissociative Identity Disorder is one of the worst dissociative disorders there is, and the fact that you’re dismissing Rupert’s experiences outright just because you’re angry is incredibly hurtful.”

Amir pinched the bridge of his nose as Joan’s phone rang. “It’s Cecily. You mind?” she asked.

“Go ahead,” Amir sighed.

Joan answered and pushed a button, and Amir was stunned when he heard Rupert sobbing in the background. “You’re on speaker, Cecily.”

“Is Amir okay? Rupert freaked out badly enough Issac was forced out again, and he’s not taking the fact that he might have driven away Rupert’s boyfriend well.”

“I’ve got him with me, but he doesn’t believe Rupert really has DID,” Joan said. “I’m trying to convince him, but you know how he is.”

“Hey!” Amir protested.

“Amir, you scared us all today, you can’t just do that!” Cecily insisted. “Will you please just listen for a minute? One minute. Just  _ listen _ to Issac. I guarantee you’ll hear the difference.”

“Whatever,” Amir sighed.

“I’ll put you on speaker. Don’t say anything, just listen,” Cecily said. The sobbing grew louder, and Cecily said, “Issac, Amir’s okay. He’s at Miss Joan’s. He’s on speaker right now.”

The sobbing paused, subsiding into hiccups. “A-A-Amir?” Rupert’s voice stuttered, and Amir blinked. Rupert never stuttered around him anymore. “I’m super super sorry! Please come back! Rupert’s really really worried, and I don’t want the two of you to break up! He really really loves you, and I know you didn’t try to scare me, but you did, and that’s why I got super scared and wanted you gone. I’ll be good, I promise, we can even share the bed if you want us to, I can pretend to be Rupert and you can...” Rupert’s breathing was shuddery and his voice was watery as he said, “You can do the adult stuff with me if you really want, I just want you back.”

Cecily and Joan immediately exploded into a flurry of negatives, telling Rupert he shouldn’t have said that, and that he  _ never _ should do adult stuff, because he was a kid, and Amir realized he had fucked up. Even if Rupert didn’t have DID, he was completely convinced he had it. And he should have taken Rupert seriously even if he had his doubts.

While Joan and Cecily were preoccupied, Amir slipped out of Joan’s apartment. He had to make this up to Rupert somehow, and he had a scrap of an idea. He went to the toy store near their apartment, and scoured the shelves, until he found a plush dragon toy, with bright red fur. He rang it up at the front of the store and rushed back to his apartment. He could hear Rupert crying through the front door, and Joan and Cecily both talking on the other side. Amir knocked on the door.

The crying quieted and Cecily opened the door. “Amir!” she exclaimed when she saw him. “What the hell?!”

“I realized I made a mistake, and I wanted to help correct it,” Amir said, glancing around her to find Rupert peering curiously from behind Joan. “Can I talk to...Issac?”

“Oh, you are on  _ such _ thin ice,” Cecily growled, letting Amir in.

Amir walked in softly, trying to make himself look non-threatening. Rupert was eyeing the bag Amir was holding. “Issac,” he said. “I’m gonna be honest. I don’t really know what’s going on. But that doesn’t mean that I should have acted the way I did. I hope you can forgive me. I got you something, as a sort-of olive branch. If you want to see it?”

Rupert nodded and Amir brought out the stuffed dragon. Rupert squealed and rushed over, giving it a big hug. “It’s so soft!” he said, a lisp in his voice that Amir hadn’t noticed before. “What’s its name?”

“I don’t know,” Amir said. “I figured you should have the honors of naming him.”

Rupert frowned, thinking long and hard before announcing, “I’m gonna call him Porridge!”

Amir laughed. “That’s an interesting name for a dragon, but okay,” he said. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I think so,” Rupert said shyly. “D’you promise not to talk about Daddy again?”

“Of course,” Amir said. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

Rupert appeared satisfied with that, before he yawned. “Tired,” he mumbled.

“You did work yourself up today,” Joan said. “Do you want to go to bed?”

Rupert nodded, but looked at Amir. “D’you use the bed, too?”

“I can take the couch,” Amir offered. “If it makes you feel better.”

“Please?” Rupert asked softly. “Sorry.”

“No sorry’s, I want to make sure you’re comfortable,” Amir said. “Go get ready for bed, kid. I can talk to Rupert in the morning about all of this.”

Rupert nodded and walked to the bedroom. Amir wasn’t quite sure what he had gotten himself into, but he hoped that it wouldn’t be as draining as today was.


	2. Mistakes are Made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, in this chapter, there is a lot of arguing, a little violence, and extensive discussions about "faking" DID. Amir gets his head out of his ass, though.

After getting a serious shovel talk from Joan and Cecily, Amir was left in the apartment with a sleeping Rupert. True to his word, he slept on the couch that night. It wasn’t super comfortable, but he wanted to make sure that Joan and Cecily didn’t kill him.

He woke up the next morning to a sleepy voice asking him, “Amir? Why are you sleeping on the couch?”

Amir blinked awake before asking, “Don’t you remember? Issac didn’t want to share a bed so I took the couch.”

“Oh. Sorry he did that, I didn’t expect him to front the rest of the night. I would have let you sleep in bed, I know the couch makes your back hurt,” Rupert said.

“I know you would have,” Amir sighed. The very fact that Rupert didn’t offer that last night was a little irritating, but he would put up with it.

Rupert offered him a relieved smile. “Thank god it’s the weekend, right?” he asked. “Nowhere to go, no obligations. It’s nice.”

“Yeah,” Amir agreed.

“I didn’t like weekends when I was little,” Rupert laughed, scratching the back of his neck. “Like, when I was  _ really _ little. That would always be when my dad was around.”

Amir frowned. “Wait, so you can talk about your dad but I can’t?”

“Who said you couldn’t talk about him?” Rupert asked.

“You did, yesterday,” Amir said.

“I don’t remember a majority of yesterday, not after school,” Rupert said.

“Look, Rupert, I can play along with the whole dissociative thing, but it’s not fair to make a double standard out of—”

“Playing along?!” Rupert asked incredulously. “What do you mean ‘playing along’?!”

“We both know that you don’t actually have this, Rupert,” Amir said, crossing his arms. “Look. If you, like, age regress or whatever around Cecily and Joan that’s fine, but you don’t have to pretend to have DID to do it.”

Rupert opened his mouth, closed it, and laughed. “I knew it,” he said. “I  _ knew _ it was too good to be true when Issac said you were going to play nice! So, what, you’re gonna call my alters their names around other people but not when we’re alone? Or you want me to stop dissociating, period?! What do you want from me?!”

“I want the truth!” Amir said.

“I already  _ told _ you the truth!” Rupert bellowed. Tears were forming in his eyes. “This is why I told Joan and Cecily I didn’t want to tell you. You never believe me if it’s inconvenient for you!”

“I never believe you when you’re trying to lie to me!” Amir shouted back. “All you ever do to me is lie!”

Rupert turned pale as a ghost and his eyes got that distant look in them, and Amir scoffed. “Oh, come on, Rupert, focus! We both know you’re faking this, so come off it!”

He flinched from the loud noise and Amir huffed. “I know, I know, you don’t like loud noises. You yelled first!”

“You’re right,” Rupert sighed. “I’m sorry.”

_ “Thank _ you,” Amir huffed. “Honestly, Rupert. I know you have problems with mental illness, but you don’t have to fake DID for people to take you seriously.”

Rupert looked at the ground, then at the ceiling. He blew out a breath. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he said, voice sounding hollow, and just this side of mechanical.

“I know it can be hard to let go of that sort of delusion, but you’ll be better off for it,” Amir said.

Rupert nodded. “Do you want to take a nap on the bed?” he asked. “I don’t know if that would help your back.”

Amir shrugged. “I think I’m up for now,” he said. “Might go on a run, though, if you have no objections?”

“Yeah, go ahead,” Rupert said. “I’ll just make breakfast for myself.”

“Save some food in the fridge for me, okay?” Amir asked with a teasing grin.

Rupert offered a weak smile back. “Yeah, will do,” he said.

Amir nodded and went to the bedroom to change into his running clothes. He grabbed his keys and his wallet and then he was out the door. He needed to forget about all the drama of yesterday and just get some exercise in.

The first half a mile was hard. The March snow had mostly melted, but there was still slush on his usual running path. Every time he had to slow down, he kept thinking about Rupert’s crushed look when Amir said to stop pretending. And every time, his stomach lurched uncomfortably. But Rupert couldn’t be serious. If he was serious, that meant that he had been through unspeakable atrocities, and Amir would know if Rupert had that sort of baggage. He was excellent at reading people, or so he thought. He had never seen this charade coming.

Somewhere just before the halfway mark, Amir found his stride and he felt the familiar ache in his muscles and the relief from all the stress that had been building up. By the time he reached the end of the trail, he was grinning and ready for breakfast next to his boyfriend.

“Hey, Rupert, I’m home!” Amir called as he walked into the apartment.

He got no response. He frowned. “Rupert?” he asked.

Walking into the kitchen, he saw a note on the fridge, three sets of handwriting on it. The first was very obviously Joan’s, the blocky script reading  _ We told you if you didn’t believe us we’d take Rupert somewhere safe! _

The second was Cecily’s, the loopy curves somehow looking angry as she wrote  _ Don’t bother talking to us until you’re really sorry! _

But the third was one he didn’t recognize. It looked similar to Rupert’s, but not exactly what his boyfriend’s handwriting was. It was too neat to be his chicken scratch, even if it had the same slanted angle that Rupert’s always had.  _ Sorry, I just can’t live with someone who doesn’t believe us. _

Amir stared at the paper in his hands for far too long. Then, he huffed and slammed it on the counter. Who needed Rupert, anyway? He could afford the apartment on his own! He didn’t need what Rupert contributed to rent, and if Rupert was going to insist on lying about this, then Amir didn’t want him around!

He angrily made himself breakfast and watched TV to drown out the nagging worry in his head. If Rupert was going to be so insistent on having something that he couldn’t possibly have, then Amir couldn’t in good conscience stick around him. And that was that.

...So why was he so worried?

Amir’s phone pinged and he sighed as he opened an angry text from Rupert’s mom.  _ I thought that you were a good enough man to accept Rupert and all that he’s been through, clearly I was wrong, _ the text read.

Rolling his eyes, Amir put his phone back on the table. He watched TV for a while, ignoring the pinging of his phone as all his and Rupert’s friends were no doubt telling Amir how ridiculous he was being.

After a while, Amir bit the bullet and checked his phone. He had several angry texts from Joan and Cecily which he ignored, but the interesting thing was...he had texts from Rupert. Links to websites and pictures and Rupert begging Amir to believe him.

Amir sighed and read through the links. They spoke about DID and OSDD, and Amir was surprised to find most of the information was new to him. The conditions stemmed from abuse, but not just the kind that happened at the hand of pedophiles. Alters could have different handwriting, different mannerisms, different ages and sexualities and genders. After Amir read through all the links, he looked at the rest of Rupert’s texts.

_ We have the different handwriting, _ Rupert said, with an attachment of Rupert’s chicken scratch, but also a neat and slightly curvy example of the same sentence, a harsh handwriting that almost cut through the paper it was on, and the same handwriting Amir had read on the note.

_ Issac’s the youngest but I have a teen here, and an adult who I can’t pin an age on, _ Rupert continued.  _ My dad wasn’t a good person. He went to prison for a good reason. And he went there on MY testimony _

Amir didn’t know what to say. The thought of a child having to testify against his own father for something that Rupert refused to talk about, even to this day...yeah, Amir could see how that would be traumatic. But... _ Doesn’t the trauma have to be repeated? _

Rupert’s response was almost instantaneous.  _ It was. Testifying against my dad didn’t make me a system. What he did to me BEFORE that I testified ABOUT made me a system _

And suddenly Amir thought he might be sick. Rupert had lied about the murder charge, or at least, Cecily had said so. But if he had lied about that, then who knows what Rupert’s dad could have done to him?  _ It’s not my place to ask… _

_ No, it’s not, _ Rupert agreed.  _ And I don’t want to tell you after the way you’ve behaved. Do you at least believe me? _

_ I don’t know what to believe, _ Amir admitted.

_ Well, you’re not yelling that I’m lying, and that’s a start :) _ Rupert texted.  _ Open the door? _

Amir looked to the front door and flung it open, finding Rupert shivering in the hallway. “Hey,” he said with a small smile.

“God, Rupert, I’m so sorry,” Amir said.

“I know,” Rupert said. “I can see it in your face. You don’t have to believe me right away. But...stop telling me that I fake it. Also, if Joan and Cecily ask, I’m not here.”

“You didn’t tell them you were coming over?” Amir asked.

“Well, Skylar had a panic attack in the car when Cecily drove over to pick me up. They left Skylar in the car to calm down while they went inside to make me a bed and when I fronted again, I knew I wasn’t going to give up on you. So I sent you the links as I walked over here.”

“Get inside,” Amir said. “It’s still cold out.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” Rupert said with a laugh. “I only lost feeling in all my fingers waiting for you to read through everything.”

Amir sighed. “I have...a lot to apologize for, and no clue how to make it up to you.”

“It’s okay, we can figure it out,” Rupert promised. “Together. Because that’s how we always do things.”

Amir sagged as all the adrenaline left and was surprised when he found himself crying in relief.

“Oh honey, it’s okay, I still love you,” Rupert laughed, hugging Amir. “I’m pissed at you, but I still love you. I’m not letting you off the hook that easily.”

Amir laughed.

Rupert pulled away and grimaced. “Oh, god,” he breathed. “Issac has been giving me problems for two weeks now, and I don’t know what he wants.”

“I don’t suppose you’d want me to help?” Amir asked.

Rupert paused. “You know what? You want to prove that you’re willing to have an open mind about this? You hang out with the kid for a couple hours.”

Amir’s stomach sank.

Rupert sighed. “It’s okay to say no, Amir, but understand that if you do, I’m going back to Joan and Cecily, because  _ someone _ has to look out for Issac. He certainly can’t do it on his own.”

“I can try, I can try!” Amir said. “I really don’t want you going back there, I want to see you again.”

Rupert laughed, just a little, before his eyes got that distant look again. He blinked, his posture hunching inward a little, making him appear smaller. His hands curled into fists and he crossed his arms, and his eyes...Amir couldn’t explain it. His eyes looked...wider? More innocent? More scared? All of the above? Amir was truly reading Rupert’s body for the first time in a long time, and it was clear to him that this wasn’t Rupert.  _ Oh, god, Rupert was right, _ Amir thought. “Hey. Issac, right?”

Issac focused on him, before nodding with a shy smile. “Wasn’t sure if you’d remember my name,” he admitted softly. “Wasn’t sure if you’d even believe I was real.”

“I was a real jerk yesterday,” Amir agreed. “I had my head stuck up my butt because I was scared of what it would mean if you were real. But that’s not an excuse. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not mad at you,” Issac said. “Rupert, though...”

“Yeah, he made it pretty clear he was not happy with me,” Amir laughed. “We’ll talk about that more when he’s back, though. That’s a discussion for the adults. And I don’t think you are.”

“Mm-mm,” Issac agreed. “I’m barely three.”

Amir blinked. “You speak well for being three.”

“Well, I know all the adult words ‘cause Rupert shared those memories with me,” Issac said. “I can sound adult if I want to, but it’s really hard.”

“I bet,” Amir said. “You don’t have to do that with me if you don’t want to.”

“You sure?” Issac asked. “I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable.”

Amir shook his head. “Issac, I’m an adult. You’re not. My comfort comes second to yours. Adults have to make sure that the kids are happy before they make sure  _ they’re _ happy. And if it’s hard for you to sound adult, well, then you don’t have to try to sound adult for my sake.”

Issac grinned. “You mean that?”

“I do,” Amir said.

Issac squealed and bounced on his toes. “Thank you! Thank you Mister Amir!”

“You don’t have to call me ‘Mister’ if you don’t want to, I’m not  _ that _ old,” Amir laughed.

Issac didn’t. “Daddy says I have to be respectful of adults,” he said solemnly. “So I call them Mister or Miss, except for Auntie Cici. Auntie said I could call her Auntie when I asked, so that’s okay.”

“Okay,” Amir said. “But know that if you slip up or forget to call me Mister, I’m not mad, okay?”

Issac nodded. “Okay. Do you wanna play dragons with me?”

“That sounds like fun,” Amir agreed. “Do you want to show me how to play?”

Issac nodded, grinning like Amir had just hung the moon and stars for him.

They went into the bedroom, and Issac looked around. “I always make sure that Daddy isn’t nearby, to know if I can play loud or not,” he explained. “Daddy doesn’t like it when I play loud.”

“Yeah, my dad didn’t like that, either, when he was around,” Amir said.

“Was he around a lot?” Issac asked.

Amir’s chest seized a little and he swallowed. “No. He was usually too busy working. And even when he was home, he had no time for me. So I played quietly with my mom.”

“Oh,” Issac said, nodding. “Yeah. I did that lots too. But your daddy’s not around, and my daddy’s not around, so we can play louder.”

Amir smiled softly. “I guess you’re right. We can’t, like,  _ yell, _ because then the neighbors will hear us, but we can be louder than we were before.”

Issac nodded, beaming. “I like that!” he said. “I like not having to worry about my voice so long as I don’t yell!”

“Me, too,” Amir agreed.

Issac went to the bookshelf and grabbed the dragon figurines. “Take your pick,” he said. “They’re technically Rupert’s, but if I play gentle with them he doesn’t mind what I do.”

Amir picked out a dark blue dragon. “Yeah, Rupert’s really protective of these,” he agreed. “He has some collectibles that not even he touches.”

“The box in the closet!” Issac said, nodding. “I can’t play with those. But these are doubles or they’re not super rare, so it’s okay to play with them.”

“Okay,” Amir said. “What should we play?”

“Dunno yet,” Issac said. “We could do pirates, or spies, or anything! There’s a lot of options.”

Amir nodded.

“Y’know, Skylar got really upset with you today,” Issac said conversationally, playing with the dragon in his hands.

Amir stiffened. Rupert talked about Skylar having a panic attack, and he didn’t know who this person was. “I’ll bet. I was a jerk.”

“Yeah,” Issac said softly. “They always say that whoever’s mad at them is right, then they run away the second they get the chance and cry lots and lots and panic somewhere on their own. They texted Miss Joan and Auntie Cici today. They didn’t want to spend whoever long they were out trying to make sure you weren’t mad at them. Or worse, that you would know something was wrong and try to get the truth out of us when the truth was something you didn’t want to hear.”

Amir felt guilt gnaw at him. “I know it might be a long shot, but can you try and tell Skylar I’m sorry? Or that at least I want to apologize to them?”

Issac got a distant look in his eyes and Amir was briefly worried he’d have to deal with Skylar right then and there. But Issac blinked and refocused and said, “I told them. They say they don’t want to talk to you just yet, but they’re happy you apologized.”

“Well, that’s good,” Amir said. “Do you know what you want to play yet?”

Issac shrugged before there was a pounding on the front door. “Amir, open up!” Joan bellowed.

“I’ve never heard Miss Joan that mad before,” Issac said, shrinking away from the door.

“Well, you can hide in the bathroom if you’re scared, I promise I won’t tell her you’re here if you don’t want to see her,” Amir offered, hoping Issac would say yes.

“I dunno...it’s me she’s looking for, right?” Issac asked.

“Right,” Amir said.

Joan banged on the door louder, and Issac jumped. “Is it okay if I just...hug Porridge and let you talk to her?”

“Yeah,” Amir said. “Let me do the talking, kid. I don’t want her to scare you.”

Issac nodded and curled up in the bed around Porridge, which was thankfully out of sight of the front door. Amir went over and opened the door up, saying, “What’s going on, Joan?”

“Where’s Rupert?” Joan demanded.

“Rupert’s not here,” Amir said, thankful that, at least, was a half-truth.

“Come off it, Amir. I  _ know _ that only Rupert would come crawling back here. No one else in his system wants anything to do with you!” Joan exclaimed.

“Joan, Rupert’s not here,” Amir said.

Joan looked down and pointed at Amir’s hand. “That’s one of Rupert’s figurines.”

_ Oh, shit, _ Amir thought. “Yes, it is. And no, I wasn’t trying to destroy it.”

“What were you doing with it, then?” Joan asked, narrowing her eyes.

Amir thought through all his options, realizing each lie he told would wind up with him in more trouble in the end, so he decided to tell the truth. “Issac wanted to play, and he gave this one to me.”

“Issac?” Joan asked disbelievingly. “Rupert’s Issac. Came all the way across town through the cold. To talk to you. And ask to play.”

“Technically Rupert’s the one who walked over here,” Amir said.

Joan growled and shoved Amir. “Don’t get smart with me,” she warned. “It will not end well for you.”

Amir shrugged. “Noted. I did apologize to Rupert. I...uh...read through some stuff he sent me on the way over, and we talked for a bit and...I was wrong. Worse, I was an asshole about being wrong. Issac’s been bugging Rupert, and Rupert...uh. Left, I guess, and Issac was there for him. Do you have any idea why he might have done that?”

“No,” Joan said. “And I find your whole apology story doubtful.”

“He did apologize!” Issac said, running over and throwing his arms around Amir. “He apologized to Rupert, an’ me, an’ Skylar, too! He said he doesn’t know how to make it up to us, so he hasn’t done that yet, but he’s trying! He’s  _ trying, _ Miss Joan! And Rupert loves him! Don’t take us away from him!”

“Issac, I don’t want any of you to be hurt,” Joan said.

“Too late,” Issac said with a completely straight face.

Amir snorted, before clapping a hand over his mouth. “I’m so sorry,” he said.

“Eh,” Issac said with a shrug. “Rupert says I have ‘gallows humor.’ It was meant to be funny.”

“Issac, come here,” Joan said. “We’re leaving.”

“I don’t want to go,” Issac said, crossing his arms.

“Does anyone else want to  _ stay?” _ Joan asked.

“Rupert,” Issac said.

“Besides Rupert,” Joan said, throwing her hands up in the air.

“Skylar wants to hear Amir apologize even if they don’t wanna front around him yet,” Issac said. “And Killian wants to have a talk with him.”

“Who’s Killian?” Amir asked.

Joan got a vaguely pleased smile on her face as she walked inside and closed the door. “You know what, Issac? If you can get Killian to front, and they say that they’re okay staying with Amir, I’ll let you guys stay.”

Issac nodded, eyes going distant as he frowned in concentration. Amir watched as his body squared up, rolling his shoulders. His stance grew wider, and there was a set in his jaw. And then Amir saw stars and was on the ground.  _ “That _ is for hurting Skylar this morning,” a gruff voice said.

“Ah.” Amir tried to sit up, but a foot kept him on his back. “Killian, I assume?”

“No, shit,” Killian growled.

Amir looked at Joan, who was silently laughing behind Killian. “You think this is funny, Joan?” he asked.

“A little,” Joan agreed.

“Killian, I really am sorry,” Amir said. “I let my own feelings get in the way of accepting you all. And I want to make things right.”

Killian rolled their eyes and took their foot off Amir’s back. “All right, all right,” they said, offering Amir a hand to stand up. “You’re on thin fucking ice, but you’re not in the water anymore.”

“Seriously?!” Joan asked.

Killian turned to her and nodded. “I’m going to call Cecily and get her and Lavinia over here. I think all of us need to have a talk.”

“A talk about what?” Amir asked.

Killian turned to him with a predatory grin. “Why, a talk about  _ you, _ of course.”


	3. About Amir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, there's some serious depersonalizing and derealization going on in this chapter. Also, the additional tags have been updated, if you want to take a look at those.

Amir was highly uncomfortable with the atmosphere in the apartment when Cecily arrived, and it only got worse when Lavinia showed up. She looked down her nose at Amir and said, “I’m disappointed.”

Killian snorted from the couch. “He’s a psych major, Lavinia, what did you expect?”

“Better,” Lavinia said, turning to Killian. “Hello, Killian.”

Killian flashed a peace sign and grinned. “Now that the party’s all here, who’s ready to talk about our problem child?”

“I take offense to being called a problem child,” Amir said.

“I really don’t give a shit,” Killian replied smoothly, with a stupid smug smirk that Amir would love to wipe off Killian’s face.

“Killian,” Lavinia said. “Whether or not you like Amir, you do have to make it so he doesn’t storm out of the apartment every time you come to front.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Killian said, waving a hand. “I know. I won’t push him farther than he can take.”

“And you know my limits so well  _ how?” _ Amir asked. “What could you  _ possibly _ know about me?”

“You don’t want me to answer that,” Killian said, eyes darkening. His posture seemed tense and relaxed at the same time, like at the smallest movement he’d jump up and snap Amir’s neck. “And stop looking at us like we’re going to hurt someone.”

“You appeared and decked me as an introduction, forgive me if I’m wary of you,” Amir bit.

Killian tilted his chin up in challenge. “Are you saying that I shouldn’t have done that?”

“I’m saying that maybe your first reaction to misled assholes shouldn’t be punching them, yeah,” Amir snapped.

Killian  _ howled _ with laughter and his smile appeared wolfish as he snarled, “Misled asshole, that’s a good one.”

“What, like I was supposed to know everything about DID after we went over it  _ once _ in psych class?” Amir asked.

“You were  _ supposed _ to believe Rupert when he told you, because as a psych major you should  _ know _ that you can’t be inside other people’s heads, and can’t dictate their experiences!” Killian challenged.

“Yeah, you’re right! But I ignored that! I screwed up! And I want to make it better, but you making jabs at me left and right is hardly going to endear me to you any!” Amir said.

“I don’t need you to like me, I need you to fear me!” Killian exclaimed.

The room went silent. Everyone was staring at Killian in shock. “Killian, you know that’s not healthy,” Lavinia said softly.

“Yeah, well, it’s how I’ve always dealt with assholes. From him to that prick I have the misfortune of calling a sperm donor, Richard,” Killian growled.

“I had honestly thought you weren’t going to do that anymore,” Cecily said.

“I didn’t have a need to, until Mister Psych Major here arrived,” Killian grumbled. “Look. He admitted he screwed up, but that doesn’t mean I have to like him, or trust him. I don’t want him alone with Issac until I say it’s okay. Or Skylar, but that should go without saying.”

“Skylar usually only fronts around me anyway,” Joan offered. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“But Issac is too trusting for me to trust him alone with Psych Major,” Killian grumbled.

“I have a name, you know,” Amir snapped.

“Yes, and I don’t care to use it,” Killian sang.

“What is your  _ problem?!” _ Amir asked. “You don’t like me, fine. You don’t have to! But I’d appreciate it if I was treated with a small modicum of human decency!”

“You don’t deserve that!” Killian exclaimed, slamming his hand down on the couch.

Amir flinched and he could feel his eyes growing hot.

“Killian, that was out of line,” Lavinia said.

“If it gets the message across, then I disagree,” Killian responded smoothly.

Lavinia took a step towards the couch. “Killian—”

“No, it’s fine,” Amir said. His own voice sounded hollow and mechanical to his ears. He knew he was going to start to lose track of himself any moment now, provided he hadn’t already. “After all, that’s what  _ my _ dad said to me all the time growing up. No matter what Mom told me, I knew he was right.”

“Amir?” Killian asked, sitting forward.

Amir shook his head. “No, no, Killian, you’re right.” He laughed, as his tears started to fall. “I screwed up. I don’t deserve a second chance or any respect. It’s fine.”

“What? No—”

Amir continued to laugh, sounding slightly hysterical. “Do you wanna know why I couldn’t believe you guys were real? Because I dissociate too. And if my experiences were bad enough to leave me with a minor dissociative issue, then I couldn’t imagine what you must have gone through to get the worst of the worst dissociative disorder.” He shook his head, laughter subsiding. “Oh, god, why do I always have to remember when I dissociate?”

“Remember what?” Killian asked.

Amir shook his head. “‘Remember Amir, you only exist because I caved to your mother one night. You’re nothing. You’re just a tool. And when your mother grows old of you as a plaything, don’t be surprised when she treats you like I do.’ I never remember. Why can I never remember?” He was shaking hard enough his teeth were chattering.

Killian walked up to him, but they didn’t seem real. He looked down at his own hands and  _ they _ didn’t seem real either. “Ah, fuck,” Amir muttered. “The DP  _ and _ the DR at the same time? Thanks, Dad.”

“Hey, Amir, we’re gonna sit down on the couch together, all right?” Killian asked, guiding Amir to the couch.

Amir sat down and sighed, staring at the clock on the wall. “I remember staring at the clock for hours when I was in high school,” he muttered. “I would stare at the second hand going around and around, and the next thing I knew, forty five minutes had passed.”

“Why don’t you just stare at it now for a bit?” Killian suggested. “I can call your mom and she can come to check on you.”

“Sure,” Amir muttered, sinking into the couch and watching the second hand intently. He wasn’t sure that he’d be able to stare long enough that his mother would show up without him realizing. After all, Killian was talking, and so was Lavinia, and Joan and Cecily. And he wasn’t focusing on the words, but he knew where they were and they weren’t moving faster than normal...

And then he blinked and focused at a hand on his shoulder and his mother was in front of him, looking him over. “Mom?” he asked. “When did you get here?”

“Ten minutes ago,” she said, frowning.

“Well, you definitely have a dissociative disorder, Amir,” Killian said. “Not DID, but at the very least Dissociative Amnesia.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Amir said, narrowing his eyes. “We been knew.”

“We also been knew that your dad’s a piece of shit. Doesn’t mean that this isn’t disconcerting,” Killian said.

“More disconcerting than learning your boyfriend isn't alone in his own mind?” Amir challenged.

Killian blinked. “Touché. Though I imagine now I'm going to have to explain that comment.”

Amir cringed. “Sorry.”

“Eh, it’s whatever, I explain better than Rupert does anyway,” Killian laughed. “Rupert’s a loser.”

A shocked laugh left Amir’s mouth. “How dare you! That’s my boyfriend you’re trash-talking!”

Amir’s mother cleared her throat and the two turned to her. “Right. Rupert has Dissociative Identity Disorder, meaning he has more than one person in his head. I’m one of those people, my name’s Killian, and if you want more of an explanation I’m sure Lavinia can fill you in,” Killian said.

There were too many emotions warring on his mother’s face for Amir to name them all. Eventually, she sighed, turned to Lavinia, and said, “It looks like we will be having a talk.”

“Once Killian apologizes for triggering Amir, yes,” Lavinia said.

Killian groaned. “You’re genuinely holding me to that.”

“Yes, Killian. I don’t  _ care _ what you think of him, you need to apologize for triggering him!” Lavinia said.

“I  _ was _ going to, but now that you’re forcing me to it seems insincere,” Killian whined.

“I will take any sort of apology you give me,” Amir said. “Sincere or not.”

“That’s not healthy, kid,” Killian said.

Amir shrugged.

“Okay, yeah, no,” Killian said. “I don’t accept that from Rupert and I won’t accept it from you either. Accept a sincere apology or nothing at all.”

“Does this mean we’re good, if you keep pushing for me to accept something healthy?” Amir asked.

“Hm? Oh, no,” Killian said. “I’m still pissed at you. But right now I’m more worried than pissed. So,” Killian grabbed Amir’s cheeks and pulled him forward until their foreheads touched. “Accept a goddamn sincere apology or accept no apology. Clear?”

“Clear,” Amir said.

“Good,” Killian said, leaning back and sighing. “I’m sorry I triggered you. I thought I knew all your limits but I was wrong, and I crossed one. That’s on me.”

“Apology accepted,” Amir said.

Killian nodded. “Great. Now that we have  _ that _ over with...why in the  _ fuck _ would you yell at Rupert enough to trigger  _ Skylar _ to front?!” he demanded.

“Don’t speak to my son like that!” Amir’s mom objected.

“He caused the  _ traumaholder _ to front, I’ll talk to him however I please after that fuck up!” Killian exclaimed.

The two devolved into shouting each other down very quickly, and no amount of Amir trying to catch either of their attention was working.

Lavinia whistled sharply and said, “Enough! Atossa, Killian has every right to be angry at Amir for what he did, and express that anger in a healthy manner. However, Killian, cussing out Amir is  _ not _ a healthy manner, and I suggest you find a better way to express your displeasure.” She rolled her eyes. “Four years of college and a PoliSci major later, and I feel like I’m constantly surrounded by children at  _ work, _ nevermind at home.”

Amir snorted. “I’m so sorry,” he said.

“You have nothing to apologize for in this situation,” Lavinia informed him.

“You have my condolences that you can’t catch a break. Better?” Amir asked.

Lavinia snorted. “You’re almost as bad as Killian.”

“Thank you,” Amir said, genuinely flattered and somewhat surprised by that fact. “Killian seems cool. He has my respect.”

“They,” Killian said.

“Right. They. Sorry,” Amir said.

“Pronouns are fluid, but today is a ‘they’ day, so,” Killian shrugged.

“Personal preferences are valid,” Amir agreed. “I might mess up, just gently correct me and I will work on it.”

“What if I not-so-gently correct you on it?” Killian asked with a smirk.

“Then you’re a dick,” Amir said. “But I’ll still work on it.”

“Okay. You’re cool. Still pissed, but you’re not  _ trying _ to be a bad guy, and for that, you have a small amount of my respect,” Killian said. He zoned out, blinking repeatedly and squinting.

“Killian?” Amir asked.

“No...what? Oh, god, you met Killian?” Rupert asked, zeroing in on Amir’s jaw. “Oh, I’m  _ so _ going to kill him. Did you get ice? Does that hurt?”

“Rupert, Rupert! I’m fine,” Amir insisted. “The bruise doesn’t hurt  _ nearly _ as much now that it’s been like, two hours.”

“Two  _ hours?!” _ Rupert asked incredulously.

“Well, my math might be off because I dissociated for at least forty five minutes, but—”

“You did  _ what?! _ Did  _ Killian _ start that?!” Rupert asked.

Oh. “I’m thinking maybe I should shut up now,” Amir said.

“Uh, no, you need to tell me what exactly that bastard did so I can chew them out for it!” Rupert said. “They still need to follow the system’s agreed-upon rules and not wolf out on anyone they don’t like.”

“Wolf out?” Amir asked.

“Duh, they’re a werewolf,” Rupert said, gently prodding Amir’s jaw.

“They’re a—ow—they’re a what?” Amir asked.

“Yeah, alters don’t have to be completely or remotely human,” Rupert said. “I’m grabbing you ice.”

“Rupert, I need more of an explanation than that!” Amir called after him.

“Later!”

Amir flopped onto the couch. “Oh, god, this information will be the death of me.”

“I know it’s concerning at first, but it’s fine, really,” Joan said.

“Huh? No, not that,” Amir said. “If Killian fronts I’m going to imagine Rupert’s body with a wolf ears and tail and I’ll never be able to stop giggling, even if Killian’s pissed. They’ll kill me.”

“Oh,” Joan said, trying to fight back a smile. “You know, I had never considered that before.”

Rupert came back in with an ice pack, which Amir gratefully accepted. Joan started snickering. “What? What’s so funny?” Rupert asked, looking over at her.

Cecily giggled too, and Rupert’s eyebrows furrowed. “What?! What has you two laughing?”

Amir could only suppress his laughter long enough to say, “It’s my fault,” before he too dissolved into laughter at the image of Rupert with wolf ears and a tail.

Rupert turned to his mom and Lavinia sighed. “They’re just being children, honey, don’t worry about it.”

Rupert looked genuinely distressed, though, so Amir managed to choke out, “Killian...wearing...wolf ears...” before losing it again.

Rupert stood there in shock a moment before he smirked. “Oh, he’s going to kill me, but I can arrange that.”

“Please!” Amir exclaimed.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Rupert said.

“Oh, I love you,” Amir said, kissing Rupert’s cheek.

“I love you too, honey,” Rupert said, pulling Amir into a hug.

**Author's Note:**

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